v. The Sadducees, who stood upon their priestly dignity and ancient prerogatives, rejected the ar tificial m6de of amalgamating Me distances (mil; rnImri) introduced by the Pharisees to enable the members of their order to walk beyond the Sab bath day's journey without infringing on the sanc tity of the day, so as to join the social meal which was instituted in imitation of the priestly social repast [PitARBEEs ; SABBATH DAY'S JOURNEY].
vt'. As priests, the Sadducees were not subject to the stringent Sabbatical laws, and could there fore enjoy their meals comfortably, inasmuch as they regarded the work requisite for their prepara tion as part of their sacerdotal duties, which set aside the Sabbatic reg-ulations ; whereas upon the people they imposed the most rigorous observ ance. Thus, in accordance with Exod. xxv. 3, they insisted that lights must not be kindled on Sabbath eve, and that the supper should be eaten in the dark (Sabbath, 55 b ; Rashi on Tosephta in Sabbath, ibid. ; Maimonides, lad Ha-Chezaka, Hilchotk Sabbath, vi. ; Tanchuma, cap. lviii.) ; they prohibited the eating of any food which was either kept warm since the preparation day (719 112V), or was warmed on the Sabbath (Responses of the Gaonim, called Shaare Teshuba, No. xxxiv.), and forbade connubial intercourse, because of the exertion connected therewith, and of its not being holy work, according to Exod. xix. ro, 15 (comp. Baba Kama, 82 a).
vii. The Sadducees, who, as the priestly party, regarded the temple treasury as their own, de. manded that the daily morning and evening sacri fices should be procured from the private and voluntary gifts of each individual, basing their opinion upon the expression of the law (Num. xxviii. 4) ; whilst the Pharisees, on the other hand, also basing their opinion upon the letter of the law (ibid: XxViii. 2), and wishing to protect the interests of the people, maintained that the sacrifices were national, and that they ought to be procured with the money of the temple treasury. Accordingly the Pharisees ordered a special temple tax, which was collected every spring, and deposited in three distinct boxes in the temple treasury, on which was indicated that the money therein contained was destined for the sacrifices for all Israel. The re quired money was taken out of the boxes three times a year—on the three great festivals, e. on
the feast of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. From the first box it was taken with the announce ment that it was 'in the name of the whole land of Israel ;' from the second with the express declara tion, 'in the name of its surrounding cities ;' and from the third in the name of Babylon, in the name of Media, and in the name of the distant countries generally ;' so that all the Israelites, in cluding even those who did not contribute to this tax, were represented in this daily sacrifice (Sheka lim, Maimonides, Shekalim). So hotly was this point contested between them that it lasted eight days (Nissan 1-8, year not mentioned), and that the Pharisees, to mark their victory over the Sadducees, appointed these eight days half festivals, during which no mourning should take place Plenachoth, 65 a).
viii. Regarding the sacrifices as their Olirfl, or as belonging to their priestly party, the Sadducees main tained that the priests might eat of the meat-offerings which were connected with the free-will animal sacrifices (Num. xv. 2, etc.) ; whilst the Pharisees maintained that they must be burned on the altar, and carried their opinion into a law, for which reason they again instituted a half festival in com memoration of their victory.
ix. Taking the expression nnum 1"11rIOD (Lev. xxiii. 15, 16) literally, the Sadducees maintained that the Omer ought to be offered on the first day following the weekly Sabbath, so that the feast of Pentecost is always to be on the first day of the week (11.fishna, Alenachoth, x. 3 ; Gemara on the Mishna, 65 a ; Illegillath Taanith, cap. i. I) [PENTEcosT].
x. The Sadducees rejected the old custom of pouring water on the altar every day at the morn ing sacrifice during the Feast of Tabernacles (T013 tonro ; and so opposed were they to this cere mony, that it became the cause of separation be tween the Sadducean king Alexander Jannai and the Pharisees (Suera, 48 b, with Joseph. Antiq. xiii. 13. 5 ; Graetz, Gesehichte der Yam. vol. iii.
p. 473, 2c1 ed.) xz". They also objected to the procession of the people round the altar holding willow branches in their hands, on the Fea.st of Tabernacles ("oma, 43 b [TABERNACLES, FEAST OF].